On 17 May 2020 the Fourth National Communication of Armenia (NC4) developed by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia was submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat.

The NC4 was developed with the funding of the Global Environmental Facility and support of the United Nations Development Programme in Armenia within the framework of the “Development of Armenia’s Fourth National Communication to the UNFCCC and Second Biennial Update Report” project.

The document identifies the country’s efforts and achievements in mitigating climate change through policies improving investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency, improving completeness and transparency of Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

The Fourth National Communication covers the period of 1990-2016 for green­house gas (GHG) inventory and climate change mitigation measures assessment based on official statistical data, as well as includes the updated information on recent policy, legis­lative and institutional changes and developments in sectors related to climate change.

Since the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and weather extremes has also increased dramatically due to climate change over the last decades, as part of development of the NC4 vulnerability assessment has been performed and adaptation measures have been developed for various sectors of the economy sensitive to climate change. These sectors include water resources, agriculture, natural ecosystems and biodiversity, settlements and infrastructure, human health and tourism. For each sector the review and progress of activities realized at administration, economic and technical levels as well as in research and information areas is presented.

The NC4 further reflects the needs for improvement in the national system of systematic obser­vations and climate monitor­ing. The key prerequisites for vulnerability assessment and adaptation measures remain the identification of input data required from each national/international model of vul­nerability assessment, reporting on adaptation needs and strengthening regional cooperation with the help of programs for research, systematic obser­va­tion, vulnerability assessment and adap­tation to climate change.

In parallel to the challenges that the country faces with vulnerability of economy and ecosystems to climate change, Armenia’s commitment to update country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2020, is an essential step towards identification and implementation of a strategy for limitation of GHG emissions and prioritization of adaptation measures against climate change. Armenia’s ambitious climate change agenda focuses on low carbon development, increasing the share of renewable energy and promoting energy efficiency, preserving and enhancing forest covered areas.

Within the framework of the NC4, climate change-related studies and assess­ments have been expanded taking into consideration the developments under the Convention after submission of the NC3, as well as the recommendations made within the framework of international consultations and analyses of the first and second Biennial Update Reports.

Additionally, the gaps, barriers, limitations for addressing climate change related issues, including the lack of institutional me­chanisms, inconsistencies among the data resources, reliability and incompleteness, the lack of coherent approach and methodology for vulnerability assessment across various the sectors, the shortage of studies and systematic observations in climate change as well as other issues were identified and respective needs and solutions were recommended in NC4.

The preparation of the Fourth National Communication became a reality due cooperation and contributions of the specialists from the Ministry of Environment and other stakeholder ministries, state bodies, scientific community and national experts.

With the submission of NC4 Armenia restates its strong commitment towards the implementation of Paris Agreement, sharing the efforts and achievements in response and mitigation of the climate change impacts and development of adaptation measures.